. >> reporter: the president's withholding judgment on the fbi keeping secrets that allen, petraeus, and kelley and broadwell matter. >> we're safer because of the work that dave petraeus has done. >> reporter: issue two was the fiscal cliff and taxes. >> what i'm not going to do is to extend further a tax cut for folks who don't need it. >> reporter: republicans demand no rate hike. can there be a deal finally to cut deductions in what the rich pay in taxes. >> i recognize we're going to have to compromise. as i said on election night, compromise is hard. >> reporter: issue three, libya. four americans dead in benghazi. republicans today demanded a new investigation and warned the president not to nominate u.n. ambassador susan rice as his new secretary of state. after rice blamed benghazi was a riot gone wrong. go after me, the president demanded. >> and to besmirch her reputation? it's outrageous. >> reporter: mostly he came across mellow. a victor reaching out to his opponents. with both sides up here not really far apart now on taxes, the president clearly hopes his reelection t